Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Effects of Coffee on Your Health

Coffee is a drink that is consumed by most of the world and by many generations of people; it is coffee drinkers are drinking the stuff at a pace of a few cups a day. Due to the mass consumption of coffee, one wonders how it affects the body. However, after a study performed by the Harvard School of Public Health, we have some news that can make a coffee drinker smile.

The study found that drinking around six cups of coffee a day is not linked to a higher risk of death from any cause; the study dispelled rumors that consuming six cups of coffee a day can increase your chances of death from cancer or heart disease.

The study did find that those who have trouble regulating their blood pressure or blood sugar should maintain a small consumption of coffee or at least switch to decaf. This finding also applied to pregnant women; pregnant women are encouraged to try and avoid coffee during the pregnancy.

Coffee that is brewed with a paper filter (yes, this does include single cup coffee since the filter is built into the coffee pod). This is important because the filter helps remove a substance in the coffee that has been linked to an increase in LDL cholesterol.

The study found that the link between coffee and an increased risk of death from any cause, like cancer or heart disease was not true after conducting a study utilizing 130,000 volunteers. What the study did was follow 40-50 year olds for 18-24 years and monitored them. They found that those who consumed coffee, even as much as six cups a day (a cup was 8 ounces and with no cream or sugar), were at no more of a risk of dying than those who consumed no coffee. This was an important finding because it showed people that drinking coffee is not a risk on your health (unless there are extenuating circumstances like a health condition or disease that reacts to coffee). If you are a coffeedrinker and wish to improve your health, this study shows that your overall diet and lifestyle choices are great places to start.

Is there such a thing as too much coffee? Yes, but that depends on each person. You will know if you have had too much coffee if you have tremors, trouble sleeping, feeling stressed when you normally wouldn't, agitated, etc. then you know you have had too much coffee.

As with everything, moderation is key; however, now you know there is no real risk if you are a coffee lover.